Surveillance Capitalism Exhibition, 2021

Human eyeballs on long eye stalks watch visitors at this surveillance capitalism exhibition.
An orange watchtower throws a light beam around the gallery. Video screens line the black gallery walls. The room is dark.
Surveillance capitalism is on full display in this mock-Google store set up.
Surveillance capitalism on a CRTV.
Traces ran along the wall in this exhibition, tying each artwork to a theme. Red chip and traces on a white wall.
A lenticular eyeball moves as the visitor does. Take your own posters line walls in the gallery.
A Mac sits on a blue desktop. An exhibit label is on the gallery wall explaining the artwork.
Traces ran along the wall in this exhibition, tying each artwork to a theme. Yellow chip and traces on a white wall.
Surveillance capitalism is on full display in this mock-Google store set up.
Four microphones separated by colorful wall fins line the gallery walls. Wires and chords flow out of each microphone.
Traces ran along the wall in this exhibition, tying each artwork to a theme. Blue chip and traces on a white wall.
A Mac sits on a blue desktop. An exhibit label is on the gallery wall explaining the artwork.
Traces ran along the wall in this exhibition, tying each artwork to a theme. Green chip and traces on a black wall.

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Big Idea: “Surveillance Capitalism Exhibition Where Everyone Feels Watched“

Exhibition Name: Tracked & Traced

Client: MSU Museum CoLab

Date: 2021

Location: East Lansing, Michigan

At the MSU Museum in East Lansing, we designed Tracked & Traced that with the goal of making the visitor feel watched. This surveillance capitalism exhibition wanted everyone to leave knowing every move they make is likely being monitored.

Close to twenty artworks from around the world that drew inspiration from surveillance capitalism, and it was Pendulee’s job to marry those artworks in an aesthetically pleasing way. We added clever design elements around the gallery that did not take away from the artworks, but enhanced visitor understanding of them.

The curatorial staff we worked with created an exhibit hierarchy of themes they wanted the visitor to be aware of during their time in the gallery. Since the topic was surveillance, we devised a circuit-board with traces that stemmed out from each hierarchy theme, branching to each exhibit the theme fell under. We also designed exhibit labels and some freaky lenticular eyes, which moved with the visitor. The goal was to place an eyeball in a sneaky place all over the gallery, so there wasn’t a moment the guest was not feeling watched.